Wake Surf Tow System

ABSTRACT

A water sports tow system designed to enhance the experience of wake surfing behind watercraft. It consists of rope(s) assembled into a grasping section and attachment/adjustment section. The tow system is designed to stay in the water while riders are surfing and attaches to the boat, offset to the side of the surfer/rider, so that the surfer may elect to grasp or drop the rope multiple times without interference or entanglement. The attachment method begins at the normal rope pylon on the wake boat tower, then offset is achieved by routing the rope to the side of the tower before extending aft to the surfer. The offset attachment, and length adjustment of the tow system combine to achieve the desired lateral offset for the rope to remain close enough for the rider to reach but out of the rider&#39;s way when not in use. The tow system also provides a line to grasp for the surfer to start from still in the water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to watersports tow lines/ropes used to pull a water skier, wakeboarder, wake surfer, etc., behind a boat designed or modified for the listed activities. Specifically, this invention focuses on the sport of wake surfing where the watercraft (tow vehicle) is able to produce a wake/wave of sufficient size and shape to generate enough energy to propel a rider on a surf board without having to grasp the tow line continuously. The primary objective of wake surfing is to be able to continuously ride/surf without holding onto the tow line. The area of the wake/wave that provides enough energy (or “push”) to allow the surfer to ride without holding onto a tow rope is relatively small and often referred to as the “pocket” (FIG. 460) The size (length) of the pocket varies with watercraft and many other conditions and can range in length from a couple feet to several feet long. Current convention for wake surfing as it relates to rope/tow line designs demonstrated by FIG. 4 are relatively short ropes with a small handle (or “T”) attached (Fig. 450). They are designed to tow the rider near the front of the pocket and must be tossed into the boat or retrieved by a passenger when not needed or dropped by the rider. Due to the mounting position (FIG. 420) and length, if not tossed into the boat or retrieved by a passenger, the current surf rope design gravitates towards the rider and impedes the ability to surf by bouncing around and under the surf board (FIG. 430) creating a potentially unsafe condition. It is very common for the rider to make a mistake, lose momentum, and fall aft of the pocket, even without falling, thus ending that particular ride. Conventional surf ropes are too short to reach a rider moving toward the back of the pocket even if a passenger had enough skill to toss the rope to the rider. They also pose a significant threat of injury due to rider entanglement. The common practice of looping or bunching up the rope to toss it into the back of the boat creates situations where a rider that falls while tossing the rope could have an appendage caught by one of the loops or the rope handle itself. The knots or bulges incorporated into the rope illustrated by FIG. 440 can injure a rider's hand if the rope slides through their grasp and creates more of a hazard if the rider falls on the rope with the boat under way. Lastly, if the rider falls after successfully riding without the rope (which was tossed in the boat or retrieved by a passenger) the boat will return to pick the rider up. If the rider is to attempt to surf again, a passenger will need to hand the rope to the rider.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention advances the sport of wakesurfing in a novel way by addressing limitations of current tow line systems and offering improvements in flexibility and efficiency that result in more time spent riding/surfing and less time picking up riders that have faltered.

The Wake Surf Tow System (tow line) is designed to stay in the water, towed by the boat anytime riders are actively surfing or preparing to surf. It is only removed at the conclusion of activity or, moved to change sides for a rider that prefers to surf on the opposite side of the boat.

This disclosure includes two primary embodiments both dealing with the attachment of the wake surf tow system. For convenience, the surf rope is most often attached to the normal rope pylon at the center of the boat wakeboard tower (Fig. 210). A key element of system performance relies on the offset of the tow system to the rider/surfer side of the boat. This can be effectively accomplished by routing the rope from the center pylon attachment to the top corner of the tower, through the structure such that the rope exits the tower on the left or right top corner; the same side the surfer rides (FIGS. 220 & 510). The protective sleeve (FIG. 130) is moved to the location where the adjustment section encounters the most stress at the corner of the tower (FIG. 260). Alternatively, the Wake Surf Tow System can be attached to another sturdy mount location such as a cleet on the gunwale, provided it is sufficiently offset (FIG. 330). The cleet attachment option would significantly reduce the elevation of the surf rope as it is towed behind the boat.

In some embodiments, the rope length is adjusted to afford the necessary offset which provides space for the rider/surfer to maneuver when not grasping the rope. The surf wake behind the boat starts off in the center of the boat's longitudinal axis (FIG. 230), splits into two sections, and each section curves outward away from the boat centerline the farther aft it gets. The Wake Surf Tow System is designed to contact the surf side of the wake (FIG. 2) in such a way that the wake effectively pushes the tow line away from the longitudinal axis of the boat and, as rope length is extended, the rope contacts the wake farther aft where it is wider and more offset from the boat path (FIG. 3). The attachment/adjustment section of the Wake Surf Tow System is used to set an appropriate rope length to provide adequate space for a surfer to ride without rope interference while still remaining close enough for the rider to grasp if necessary (FIG. 520). FIG. 3 demonstrates that a longer rope adjustment=wider setting; more lateral offset from surfer (FIG. 320), while a shorter rope adjustment=narrow setting, closer to surfer's side (FIG. 310).

In some embodiments, the Wake Surf Tow System, may be equipped with a small handle or “T” commonly used in current wakesurf rope designs (FIG. 450). These attributes may be permanently attached or detachable to use only when an inexperienced rider with a weaker grip finds it necessary. If used, the attributes should be attached at the forward edge of the grasping section near the transition from adjustment/attachment section (FIG. 140).

When a rider falls, the Wake Surf Tow System simplifies, and expedites the next surf attempt. Since the surf rope stays in the water towed by the boat, no passenger assistance is needed to handle the rope. The boat driver simply returns to the location of the fallen rider and passes next to the rider on his preferred surf side, which is the side of the boat that the tow line is offset to. As the boat returns to the downed rider, the offset of the tow line, due to the attachment method, makes the rope closer/more accessible to the downed rider than a similar rope trailing from the center pylon on the tower. Experienced driver/surfer combinations can execute a pickup and return to surfing without bringing the boat to a stop.

The Wake Surf Tow System construction and design provides for other advantages: Naturally buoyant, easy to see, extremely low risk of rider entanglement, low risk of abrasion to the rider, and very low risk of boat propeller entanglement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description server to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates the Wake Surf Tow System, not attached to a boat, and identifies the key elements.

FIG. 2 illustrates how the tow system is attached, and provides an overhead perspective of where the tow system rests with the boat under way and the rider not holding the tow line.

FIG. 3 demonstrates how adjusting the length of the tow line provides for changes in lateral offset from the rider, and depicts an alternate attachment location.

FIG. 4 depicts prior art; an example of current surf rope design and demonstrates limitations and hazards of the design. It also provides a visual representation of the surf wake “pocket” and an example of a handle that could be incorporated into the Wake Surf Tow System if desired.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of surfing action with the rider not holding the Surf Tow System but able to pick it up if needed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A watersports tow line designed to give a rider the option to grasp/use the tow line and/or drop the tow line multiple times in a continuous riding or surfing session. The tow line provides an infinite number of grasping locations allowing a rider to move forward and aft to find the optimum surfing location on the watercraft wake. If not held by the rider, the tow line naturally rests in a position not to interfere with the rider but within reach if needed and offers a wide range of area to grasp. The wake surf tow system is approximately 30-35 feet long and comprised of two primary segments; one for grasping and one for attachment and length adjustment. The grasping section (FIGS. 110 & 250), is constructed of braided rope or ropes that are buoyant and non-abrasive such as polypropylene multifilament solid braid rope. The finished grasping section should be approximately 16-20 feet long, and of consistent circumference throughout (approximately 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches) allowing the widest variety of hand sizes to grasp. The texture needed to make the tow line easiest to grasp comes from the natural qualities of the rope and the braid utilized such as a continuous seesaw knot or basic three-strand braid. The consistent circumference of the grasping section prevents injury to the surfer from knots, bulges, etc. (FIG. 440), if the rope slides through the surfer's hands. The grasping section may have an integrated or optional (detachable) small handle or “T” (FIG. 450) near the front of the grasping section (FIG. 140) to provide an easier shape to hold for inexperienced riders when learning to start from still in the water. The attachment/adjustment section (FIGS. 120 & 240) is approximately 15 feet long, and may be constructed of a wide variety of rope types but hollow braid polypropylene rope such as is used in slalom ski ropes works very well. Due to the unique attachment method, a protective sleeve such as vinyl hose is incorporated to protect the rope from abrasion and protect the finish of the boat tower (FIG. 130). The protective sleeve is able to slide throughout the attachment/adjustment section for optimum placement to prevent abrasion where needed. The grasping section is connected to the attachment section by creating a loop when starting the braid of the grasping section (FIG. 140). The loop of the grasping section can then be connected to an eye splice of the attachment section. The rope is attached to the wakesurf boat tower at the normal, central pylon location but is intentionally offset to and through the side of the tower, as high as possible and on the same side as the surfer/rider (FIG. 2). This attachment method along with adjustment of the rope length provides the necessary offset to the rope that; (a.) aids in retrieval of a rider after a fall, and (b.) keeps the rope out of the way when the rider chooses to not hold onto the tow line/rope, while remaining close enough for the rider to grasp if needed (FIG. 2) such as losing momentum and falling out of the “pocket.” The tow line attachment/adjustment section provides for length adjustment similar to a slalom rope by incorporating multiple loop segments or, the user can easily shorten the attachment segment by using a simple, knot-free loop technique.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A water sports tow system comprising: a constructed rope having a grasping section; an attachment section secured to said grasping section; and a protective sleeve adjustable along the length of said attachment section.
 2. A water sports tow system as in claim 1, wherein said grasping section is comprised of rope or ropes braided to a circumference adequate to provide sufficient surface area for the human hand to grip and of designed length to offer maximum options for a watersports rider to grasp while surfing along a boat wake.
 3. A water sports tow system as in claim 1, wherein said attachment section is comprised of rope connected to grasping section to attach to a boat tower or other established tow point and provide adjustability in length for the water sports tow system to adapt to specific applications.
 4. A water sports tow system as in claim 3, wherein said attachment section has a protective sleeve incorporated that may be moved along the length of the attachment section to prevent abrasion to the water sports tow system and the boat tower.
 5. A water sports tow system as in claim 3, wherein said attachment section is designed to attach to a watersports boat tower with lateral offset to the preferred side of the rider.
 6. A water sports tow system as in claim 2, wherein said grasping section is of consistent circumference and construction, free of knots, bulges, etc.
 7. A water sports tow system as in claim 1, wherein the tow system combines lateral mounting offset and length adjustment to control rope position relative to said rider such that when the tow system is not being held by the rider it is within reach while not impeding the surfing activity. 